Propane gas bottles for cooking. A few questions please...

[DIYNotIan]

Hi

Just recently moved house and the new house has propane gas for the hob (electric oven). There's one 19kg propane bottle which I think is getting low. I've been advised it's best to have two anyway. I presumed the second one would be more expensive as I wouldn't have an empty to exchange, but I just popped into a hire shop which also sells gas and they sell full bottles with no need to exchange.... A few questions if I may please...

1. Are they safe? Should they be bought from an authorised dealer and if so what should I be looking for? Or is likely to be fine?

2. How can this guy do it without the need for an empty exchange, when most places won't? Anything dodgy?

3. It's £32.50 for 19kg. Is that good?

4. Does it matter whether I go down the calor or flogas route? Can you only exchange within the same company, and if so should I choose more carefully now?

5. A friend told me that too much gas is coming through to the hobs and that I should get a decent quality regulator. He wasn't sure what though. Any recommendations?

Any help would be most appreciated as I know nothing in the subject

Cheers

 

[Mottie]

Pretty sure all gas bottle powered appliances should have a regulator. Do you not have one on your bottle? If not, is there one on the hob?

 

[Burnerman]

My advice would be to contact a Calor provider / installer who can fix you up with a dual cylinder automatic change over valve and regulator. They can also check the required pressure for your appliance and check on ventilation, positioning and so on, both for your bottles and hob.
The bigger the bottles, the cheaper the gas....the biggest propane bottles are 47 kg and a refill will cost around £80.
John

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I presumed the second one would be more expensive as I wouldn't have an empty to exchange, but I just popped into a hire shop which also sells gas and they sell full bottles with no need to exchange....

1. Are they safe? Should they be bought from an authorised dealer and if so what should I be looking for? Or is likely to be fine?

AFAIK the vendors need a licence to store and sell these bottles. They are required to have locked cages outside to store the items, carry appropriate insurance, etc. Tool hire places should be OK. As to deposits on bottles, Calor demand a deposit on their bottles, some other suppliers don't. If buying from a different supplier than usual check that the fittings on the bottles from the two suppliers are identical

5. A friend told me that too much gas is coming through to the hobs and that I should get a decent quality regulator. He wasn't sure what though.

If you have two bottles connected together you'll need an appropriate regulator in any case. Your new supplier should be able to advise and supply, I'd say

 

[Stivino]

Have a look at the Calor website, you will find a lot of useful information there. You can even buy a new regulator there for £10. I would think you need a "propane screw on 1.5Kg/h regulator".
The fittings are standard across suppliers.
They are as safe as any other gas, providing that you don't have any leaks.
It doesn't matter who you your supplier is as the gas in the cylinder is the same, the only difference is the price.
Some suppliers insist on you having an empty to return in exchange for a full bottle. Sometimes it's possible to get an empty from your local recycling centre for a small gratuity. Maybe even a full one.
What makes your friend think there is too much gas coming through?

 

[foxhole]

Worth checking the cooker has had the jets changed , new appliances come with a spare set for propane which usually just get binned, yours need to have been changed to be safe and efficient .

https://www.espares.co.uk/product/e...MIqMOEtd703wIVo6RRCh2B4QDcEAEYASACEgLmMvD_BwE

 

[Stivino]

Worth checking the cooker has had the jets changed , new appliances come with a spare set for propane which usually just get binned, yours need to have been changed to be safe and efficient .

https://www.espares.co.uk/product/e...MIqMOEtd703wIVo6RRCh2B4QDcEAEYASACEgLmMvD_BwE

You'll know instantly if it has the right jets fitted.

 

[foxhole]

You'll know instantly if it has the right jets fitted.

I would but does mean everyone would .Thats why we ask questions .

 

[Stivino]

I would but does mean everyone would .Thats why we ask questions .

I think anybody with half a brain would soon know that something wasn't right.

 

[foxhole]

I think anybody with half a brain would soon know that something wasn't right.

Lots of people with less than that .

 

[DIYNotIan]

Sorry, I only have quarter of a brain! How would I know if I've got the wrong jets?

In the meantime, thanks for all the replies and help. Much appreciated...

 

[flameport]

How would I know if I've got the wrong jets?

Flames from the burners will be the wrong size, wrong colour, won't stay lit or all of those things.

Or to put it another way - if there are massive sooty yellow flames licking up the sides of your saucepans, the jets are wrong.

 

[durhamplumber]

Sorry, I only have quarter of a brain! How would I know if I've got the wrong jets?

In the meantime, thanks for all the replies and help. Much appreciated...

As a rule of thumb,propane injectors are approx half the size of methane injectors...Double the injector size,almost twice the pressure and over twice the calorific value,,,you definetly know instantly something is v wrong with incorrect injectors.